Chapter 1 - The Awakening [unedited]
“What do you last remember?” The doctor in front of me leans over. I look around the odd medical room and hesitate.
Gold gilding accents all the walls and gives the room a refined atmosphere. Everything was dark, the only light being a dim lamp in the corner of the room. The window showed the pitch-black night. I lie on a soft bed that takes up most of the room. Tremors run down my bones.
“Leaving my apartment,” My voice breaks. “I was getting ready for work.”
“Good, good. And where is your apartment?” The doctor presses. It doesn’t come to me immediately. I envision my quaint apartment, decked out with art sculptures and paintings. I remember running late and knew the traffic would be terrible so I skipped breakfast for a smoothie.
“In Los Angeles,” I say mostly to assure myself. The man blinks before writing something in his chart. My heart sinks along with my hope.
“Why am I here? What happened?” I pull up the oversized shirt that covers my body, careful not to disrupt the IVs I’m hooked to. Stitched-up claw marks run down my stomach. Panic and more confusion encompass me. Was I attacked?
“Breathe. I can promise You’re in good hands.” The doctor walks away to write down something in his notebook. He doesn’t risk looking me in the eye. “I’m going to be back, and I’ll explain everything then.”
The second he’s out of the room I rip out all the cords attached to me. Rummaging through the medical room finding a pair of scissors. I pry the window open and glance down at the long fall. It’s at least seven stories. The surrounding trees could break my fall but I debate whether the risk is worth the escape.
“Celia.” An angry voice makes me jump. I turn around to see a man next to the doctor. His dark eyes trained on me. His clean-cut beard and chiseled bone structure takes me aback.
“How do you know my name?” I stammer, holding the scissors in front of me. I lift a leg out the window and use my unoccupied hand to keep balance. Questions swarm in my head faster than I can reason with them.
“Step away from the window. You won’t make the fall.” The man warns eerily calm.
“Please, we will explain everything once you’re away from the window.” The doctor tries to persuade me. Moving away from my position meant giving away my advantage. Giving away possibly my only chance to escape.
“No. I want to hear everything here,” I announce. The man’s eyes glow an unnatural crimson red.
“Your eyes.” I gasp, turning away and preparing to stick this landing. I brace myself and blink. My vision blurs and I’m back inside the room. The man’s hand around my upper arm and harshly letting go. I stumble and flinch when he closes the window with an inhuman quickness.
“Please let me explain.” The doctor speaks up and moves closer to me. I step back into the corner. Alarm bells ring in my mind. Something was seriously wrong with these people. I need to leave.
“You have amnesia. Your human body shut down to protect itself and you can not remember any of our time together,” The man waits for my reaction.
“You’re manipulating me,” I accuse. My memories of my apartment float in my mind. I was there only a couple of hours ago. It had to be a couple of hours ago.
“No, he’s not. You were in an…accident and hit your head. You’ve been in a coma for weeks. My team was in charge of keeping you alive,” The doctor explains. I take in the information and my head snaps to the man.
“You said human body. What did you mean?” I tremble. I sweep the room putting the pieces together. The elegance of this place, the man’s speed, the red eyes. No. I was going insane.
“The first time we told you, you passed out so I’m putting this bluntly. I am what you know of as a vampire, but I will not harm you. No one here will.” The man assures. Vertigo clouds my thoughts and I fight through the black spots in my vision. This is some twisted dream. How did I know this man?
“Where are we?” I breathe needing some air.
“My palace.” His voice gurgled under my haze of confusion.
“Can I go home?” I whisper already knowing the answer once I say it.
He pauses before saying, “You can’t.”
With those words, I take one last look at the doctor before passing out.
